Fuses for elevated circuit voltages, e.g. 15 Kv., are made in two different forms, namely single element fuses and multielement fuses. In the former there is but one single fusible element, while the latter include a plurality of separate, equidistantly spaced fusible elements connected in parallel. In both types of fuses the fusible elements are wound helically if their length exceed the spacing between the terminal elements of the fuse. The single element fuses are relatively simple to manufacture, but their performance is poor, particularly if their current rating is relatively high. The multielement fuses are relatively difficult to manufacture, particularly if their constituent fusible elements are wire-like rather than in the form of more or less wide metal ribbons. The manufacturing difficulties of multielement fuses increases, if the fuses are not provided with a support whose cross-section is more or less starshaped . The relatively greatest manufacturing difficulties are encountered in supportless fuses for the fusible element such as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,848,214 to Erwin Salzer, 12/12/74 for METHOD OF ASSEMBLING ELECTRIC HIGH-VOLTAGE FUSES AND SUBASSEMBLY THEREFOR, and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,810,061 to Erwin Salzer, 05/07/74 for HIGH-VOLTAGE FUSE. In spite of the aforementioned difficulties the trend is toward multielement fuses, because of their far superior performance involving sequential break-formation in the fusible elements thereof.
It is the primary object of this invention to provide means which make it possible to manufacture multielement fuses without significant difficulties, particularly fuses whose constituent fusible elements are wire-like and more specifically fuses having no conventional fuse element support substantially star-shaped in cross-section, such as disclosed in the above referred-to U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,848,214 and 3,810,061.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from what follows.